SOS

The World Anthem

07/06/2012

There can be no doubt that Gardenia Bakeries
(K.L.) Sdn. Bhd. (“Gardenia - So Good You Can Even Eat It On Its Own”) has
arrived at its pre-eminent pole position in the bread supply industry in
Malaysia, through sheer hard work and fair competition, a hallmark and
cornerstone of free markets and democracy.

Currently, Gardenia is the market leader in the bread supply business. This did not happen overnight. They had to change the old fashioned and pretty much localised bread and related products manufacturing and vendor distribution systems, to go national.

Growing consumer awareness called for better bread formulation, choice and manufacturing, storage, distribution and storage hygiene standards. It's no accident Gardenia bread does not go mouldy easily or quickly. New and modern factories had to be built brick by brick from scratch. New industry standards and systems had to be set up and staff recruited and trained for ISO and Halal certification. True entrepreneurship and free market competition, like genius, is all about 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration!

The profits derived
from such dominance were bound to invite new players hoping to chip away at
Gardenia’s market share, even with the daunting entry barrier of upwards of
RM100 million for a start-up brand new bakery production plant and factory. Factor in the cost of setting up a national distribution system which puts
fresh bread on the shelves of hypermarkets, supermarkets and mini marts daily, and you will
begin to understand that this is no game for rank amateurs, small boys or those
hoping to make a quick buck and run.

Such is the not-so-funny predicament Gardenia finds
itself in today.

Where big business interests are locked in a
tussle for market share, truth and justice are often sacrificed for a premium,
in this instance, a huge one. While Gardenia’s competitors have publicly denied
any complicity in it, and there are no reasons to doubt them, anonymous, suspicious and sneaky supporters
of big business interests have been busy exploiting racism and politics in an attempt
to shift consumers away from Gardenia, to its competitors.

Internet ghosts, and even Facebook campaigners,
have been promoting the ‘Boycott Gardenia’ rabid cry with grossly misinformed
and unsubstantiated claims that for every loaf of Gardenia bread one buys, 16
cents goes to Rosmah and the coffers of UMNO/BN! The mysterious authors of these
vicious and racist email and other hate-attacks against Gardenia seem to be targeting the
Chinese in particular, to alter their spending and eating habits in favour of competing
brands.

So, where do we start? With the facts, of
course!

FACT 1

Gardenia is 70% owned by QAF Ltd. which is publicly listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. The remaining 30% shareholding was sold to BERNAS at a
premium in 2001, in line with
MITI’s conditions for granting Gardenia a manufacturing licence. This waslong, long before Syed Mokhtar took
control of BERNAS via Tradewinds in 2009 and Rosmah was anywhere within sight of Putrajaya!

Since 1986 when Gardenia set up
operations in Malaysia, it has invested over RM800 million in 5 (fully halal
compliant) plant and manufacturing facilities, all in Shah Alam in the Kelang
Valley.

Currently, Gardenia employs about
2,500 personnel, 2,200 of whom comprise Malaysians. The CEO of the company and
top managers and staff are all also Malaysians. The company does not employ
Singaporeans or any other nationals, other than 300 foreign workers engaged in
the production, packaging and distribution lines.

FACT 2

Although, in view of its 30% shareholdings,
Bernas has board of directors representation in Gardenia, it has NEVER interfered in Gardenia’s
operations or management, nor ever forced it to buy flour from Syed
Mokhtar-controlled companies. In fact, in over 25 years of production, Gardenia has not bought a single gram of flour from any flour mill owned by Bernas, Syed Mokhtar Bukhari or UMNO.

Four out of seven directors on the
board of directors of Gardenia (including 2 from Bernas) are
Malaysians. A quick check at the Companies Commission of Malaysia will confirm
this for a fact.

FACT 3 – MOST
IMPORTANT

Gardenia has not bought any flour from Federal Flour Mills (FFM) owned
by the Robert Kuok Group, for over 10 years!!! Therefore, the vicious and deliberately falsified
and concocted information circulated in November 2011 that Bernas or Syed
Mokhtar Bukhari or Rosmah or UMNO had suddenly instructed Gardenia to terminate
business with FFM has absolutely no basis whatsoever!

Every bread company has its own
secret flour formulations and ingredients for its range of products - white
bread, wholemeal, bun, waffle etc. Gardenia
decided to part ways with FFM shortly after 1998 when FFM took to also supplying formulated flour
to Gardenia’s new competitor. Gardenia then shifted its orders to other flour
millers as they felt there was a conflict of interest issue with FFM which
could not be resolved.

Clearly, Gardenia’s move to turn to
other local flour millers as far back as 1998 was a commercial and business
decision, to protect its trade secrets. The question of race had no bearing
whatsoever on its strategic directions then, or even now.

In any event,
Gardenia had got wind of FFM’s intentions to launch its own brand of bread before
they actually did in 2011. Only a fool would allow his competitors to prosper
at his own expense!

So, where does all this lead us to?

This blog has a masthead which says 'We Are All of 1 Race, the Human Race.' In plain, simple English, I abhor racism in any form - overt, covert, subtle, what have you. This scurrilous attempt by a group of, obviously Chinese, Malaysians to appeal to extreme chauvinism in commercial business matters is as in-your-face racism as you can get. Nothing is more detestable!

With one breath they criticise Mahathirism, Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa because they repeatedly bring out the bogeyman of DAP being anti-Malay, anti-monarchy, pro-republic, anti-affirmative action etc., to try and scare Malay voters into thinking they have no alternative to UMNO/BN being the government. With the next, they brand every issue involving UMNO and Syed Mokhtar Bukhary with the same racist brush.

Only Prime Minister Najib and Robert Kuok know the real truth behind why Kuok exited the sugar business in Malaysia with indecent haste. It may well have had everything to do with UMNO's paranoia with wanting Malays/Bumiputras to control as much of the food and agricultural business in Malaysia as possible; and that in itself is also an extreme form of racist thinking and philosophy. After all Robert Kuok has been in the sugar and flour and other highly successful businesses here for well-nigh 50 years. He is as Malaysian as they come! He's listed in Forbes rankings as the richest Malaysian, not Chinese.

Was Rober Kuok arm-twisted? Made an offer he could not refuse? Possibly. But he did get paid market price for his shares, if that's any consolation. It would also be pertinent to point out that our government has been subsidisingflour, oil and sugar for the last 50 years, to the tune of billions of ringgit every year. Guess whose businesses have been some of the happy beneficiaries of these taxpayer-funded largesse?

To leap from the un-sweet shenanigans of Najib, to equating the Gardenia vs Robert Kuok's and FFM's Massimo Bread to another strong-arming and sidelining of Chinese business interest, has no foundation whatsoever. Currently, Gardenia's main formulated flour supplier is controlled by the Teh family from Perak, while it's other major supplier is owned by Indonesian and Australian parties. So, where do stories of Malaysian Chinese business interest being decimated come from? I suspect that race is being exploited to scare the Chinese in the same way that Mahathir, Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa employ it as a tactical weapon to keep the people apart.

Gardenia bread is unhealthy? Prove it, but don't blind us with spurious statistics and dubious analysis. Gardenia is more expensive? Well, what are you complaining about? The consumer is king when he has choice. But, do take cognizance that cheap and quality are usually trade-offs. There is a reason why super-pricey Rolls Royce, BMW and Mercedes outsell Proton and why Nike, Adidas and Reebok sports shoes fly off store shelves while Bata's Badminton Master Shoe appears to be an almost forgotten name!

These racists are also doing a great disservice to themselves and insulting ALL Malaysians by posting UK 'dead rat in bread' pictures on the Internet and Facebook, implying recklessly falsely that Gardenia bread is unhygienic and poisonous. How low can they get!

With the Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedi Commission (MCMC) investigations nearing completion, it will not be long before the identities of these racists are revealed, and prosecutions commence. Nevertheless, it's very sad indeed that after 55 years of independence, many here
still look at issues like these from the viewpoint of Malays, Chinese,
Indians and others.

The milking of racist sentiments to corner profits is a hallmark of typical Malaysian fraudtrepreneurs and their croneys who cannot go to the toilet without demanding an all-risks free government-guaranteed handout. In that respect, Gardenia comes out smelling of sweet roses with full marks for entrepreneurship, competitive spirit, corporate social responsibility and a truly successful company.

Search This Blog

Profile

MURDERED IN MALAYSIA: THE ALTANTUYA STORY BY E.S. SHANKAR

TO BUY BOOK CLICK ON PICTURE

MURDERED IN MALAYSIA: THE ALTANTUYA STORY BY E.S. SHANKAR

Dear Readers,

Have you read the explosive new ebook "Murdered In Malaysia: The Altantuya Story" yet? The mystery surrounding the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Sharriibuu has long troubled Malaysia and E.S Shankar's new book sheds light on many unanswered questions.

This meticulously researched, honest and informative book is for you and for all those Malaysians who want to know the full truth about the disgraceful and barbaric murder of a Mongolian girl, who had the misfortune to associate herself with persons which led ultimately to her murder and the disintegration of her dead body, and perhaps her unborn child, by explosion.

E.S Shankar has produced a tour de force in terms of research and the comprehensive scope of his enquiries, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to bring to light facts that were disgracefully suppressed and covered up by one of the most shocking examples of interference in the judiciary that Malaysia has experienced in its history. The impact on the independence of Malaysia's law enforcement agencies has been far-reaching and malign.

As E.S Shankar's book makes clear, the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu was not an unpremeditated killing, carried out by "rogue cops". It was planned with care and needed the intervention of very powerful people to make it happen - and then when it was discovered, to cover up the truth. And all that simply to save the face and reputation of a very powerful Malaysian personality.

Malaysia owes a debt to this brave author who has dared to lay out the facts that others have attempted to hide. His book may read like a thriller, but it is the chilling truth and everyone should take time to understand its consequences.

- Sarawak Report Editor Clare Rewcastle Brown

GREATEST QUOTES OF 2012/2013

1. Exercising democratic rights could place society in a never-ending vicious cycle of instability and insecurity.

2.We are doing the right thing if everybody is unhappy, which means you have to give up something . . . You cannot say this is my right, I must get it. Then others will say they want their rights, too.

'TIGER ISLE-A GOVERNMENT OF THIEVES' by E.S. SHANKAR

SYNOPSIS OF 'TIGER ISLE - A GOVERNMENT OF THIEVES' by E.S. SHANKAR

Tiger Isle or Pulipore, the corruption capital of the world that mysteriously emerged from the depths of the waters of South East Asia in 200 CE, spirals towards its tipping point in 2012.

Hundreds of billions of dollars of cost over-inflated defence and other government procurement and infrastructure development contracts, national projects “that MUST not fail, ever” and the cosy “win-win” relationships between government and fraudtrepreneur crony “corpo-rat captains of industry”, send Tiger Isle hurtling towards the precipice of third world status and bankruptcy.

Tiger Isle’s evil and despotic President Kapalin plays every card, from race to Tigerist religion to hounding his political nemesis, Maitreya, with trumped-up rape and sodomy charges, to cling on to power. Failure is not an option, as Kapalin and his ambitious and self-promoting wife, expensive Birkin handbag toting ‘Big Porka’ Natasha, are also implicated in the cover-up of the gruesome murder of Tiger Isle’s Oscar-winning actress, dynamited to bits in a secluded forest.

Now, government auditor Rekha and her seven best friends race against time and the threat of a prophecy being fulfilled to save Tiger Isle and its 30 million inhabitants from annihilation, even as Kapalin plots and embarks upon apocalyptic plans that could prove to be the harbinger of World War III.

On the horizon, Rekha, married and a mother of two, sees the looming menace and racist aims of Kapalin’s mentor, bitter ex-President Bhairav, who stirs up extremist and right-wing Tigerist sentiments to undermine Kapalin and replace him with his own son as President.

The fate of a nation hangs in the balance as Rekha prepares for battle with her famous cry of “We are all of One Race, the Human Race.”

Mixing suspense with humor and pathos, E.S. Shankar’s superbly written, original and stunning debut novel ‘TIGER ISLE – A GOVERNMENT OF THIEVES’ is a classic story of endemic corruption in South East Asia and its various frightening totalitarian and racist regimes that pose as benign multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural democracies.

“A great read simply for its thrilling plot and wonderfully-imagined setting, but an even better one if you're interested in Malaysian/ South East Asian politics & history.” S.Ganesan.

To purchase this novel online go to http://gbgerakbudaya.com/bookshop/index.php?main_page=product_book_info&cPath=1_5&products_id=1689

A.B.U.Anythang But UMNO

A.B.U.Anything But UMMI

A.B.N.Anything But NALLA

A.B.ZN.Anything But ZUL NORDIN

A.B.WCKAnything But Wee CK

BABUAn Indian Actor. Lol!

Rakyat detepikan,Kedaulatan lanun BUMNO/BN diutamakan.

BERSIH, OPPOSITE OF KOTOR! CLEAN, NOT DIRTY!

BAHARUDDIN AHMAD, R.I.P.

The first martyr of Bersih 2.0 09/07/2011.
Blood is on PM Najib's hands.
We will never forgive you, Najib.

CONGRATS NICOL DAVID - MALAYSIA'S GREATEST EVER SPORTSPERSON!!

Nicol successfully defends world squash title and maintains WORLD NO.1 Ranking!!

Egg Jokes for Eggciting Times

Fuck! Chicken Little, is that you??? courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/36998705@N00/128517029/

malaysiasoros@terkini. ballsups_pseuds.con quotes

1. Jagdeep then asked Nizam (of Utusan) to explain what ultra vires meant, for the benefit of the court. Nizam looking confused, replied: “To insult.”Jagdeep then told Mohd Nizam that his misunderstanding of the word had caused chaos in the country because the word actually means “beyond the powers”. Malaysian Insider.2. "Is Najib qualify to be next PM?" Now you know why the Ministry of (ms)Education wants to do away with teaching Science & Maths in English. It's an utter waste of time!

3. "It doesn't mean anything that Malaysia is No.185 in FIFA's World Rankings. That is determined only by the number of games you play in a year!!" ex-Malaysia footballcoach4. "The presence of criminals also posed a threat to the safety of Police Officers. So, the Police Base was closed!" Minister for Home Office 17/10/08